Dolly

Abstract

In the process of attaching and detaching a roll to a recording device while supporting it with a trolley, the range of compatible roll widths is expanded, and work efficiency is improved. [Solution] A recording device for recording an image on a sheet supplied from a roll, comprising a roll support portion that supports the roll at its widthwise end, and a guide portion that extends in the widthwise direction and supports the roll support portion so as to be movable in the widthwise direction, wherein a roll supported by a trolley equipped with a positioning portion is attached to the roll support portion, and the recording device further comprises a positioning portion that determines the position of the positioning portion in an intersecting direction that intersects the widthwise direction with respect to the roll support portion, while the trolley is in a state where the roll can move in the widthwise direction.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a roll mounting mechanism for mounting a roll around which a continuous sheet is wound while supporting the roll with a carriage on a recording apparatus that performs recording on a sheet, and to the recording apparatus and the carriage.

Background Art

[0002] In a recording apparatus that performs a printing operation on a sheet supplied from a roll, the roll is set in the apparatus prior to sheet supply. As a device for supporting the roll, a configuration including a pair of holders that rotatably hold the paper tube of the roll is known. In such a configuration, the roll is set in the recording apparatus by moving the holders in the width direction of the roll and inserting them into the paper tube of the roll. Here, when transporting the roll to the recording apparatus prior to setting the roll, especially for a roll with a high weight, it is difficult to directly carry it by hand, so it is often carried by placing the roll on a carriage that supports it from below. At this time, in order to improve workability, it is desirable to be able to set the roll in the recording apparatus while the roll is placed on the carriage. Patent Document 1 discloses a configuration in which an article such as a roll is transported by an article transport carriage, and the article support on the article transport carriage is positioned and arranged with respect to an external device, so that the roll can be set in the external device while being supported by the article support.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] Some recording devices that support rolls are capable of handling multiple types of rolls with different widths. In such recording devices, rolls of various widths are supported by the holder by moving the holder in the width direction. However, in the configuration disclosed in Patent Document 1, the cantilevered insertion part expands and contracts to support the roll. Therefore, especially when supporting narrow rolls, the protrusion amount of the insertion part becomes long and it is prone to bending, making it unsuitable for handling a wide range of roll widths. Furthermore, when the roll is positioned offset from the article support in the width direction of the roll, the roll may interfere with external devices when transported on an article transport trolley, requiring adjustment of the roll's position relative to the article support. The effort required to adjust the roll's position relative to the support is inefficient, especially when handling heavy rolls.

[0005] Therefore, the objective of the present invention is to broaden the range of compatible roll widths and improve work efficiency in the process of attaching and detaching rolls to and from a recording device while supporting the rolls with a trolley. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] To achieve the above objective, the trolley according to the present invention is The base and, A first receiving portion supported by the base and receiving one side of the roll around which the sheet is wound from below in the width direction, A second receiving portion supported by the base and receiving the other side of the roll in the width direction from below, The device is characterized by comprising an expandable / contractable mechanism provided at the base, which expands and contracts between the first receiving portion and the second receiving portion in the width direction, and transporting the roll to the recording device. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the present invention, when attaching and detaching a roll to a recording device while supporting it with a trolley, This expands the range of compatible roll widths and improves work efficiency. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0008] [Figure 1] This is a front view of the recording device. [Figure 2] This is a schematic cross-sectional view of a recording device showing the sheet transport path. [Figure 3] This is a perspective view of the roll set section according to the first embodiment. [Figure 4] This is a perspective view of the trolley according to the first embodiment. [Figure 5] This figure shows the roll-setting procedure according to the first embodiment. [Figure 6] This is a schematic cross-sectional view of the recording device and trolley according to the first embodiment. [Figure 7] This is a perspective view of the trolley according to the second embodiment. [Figure 8] This is a schematic cross-sectional view of the recording device and trolley according to the second embodiment. [Figure 9] This is a perspective view of the trolley according to the third embodiment. [Figure 10] This figure shows the roll-setting procedure according to the third embodiment. [Figure 11] This is a perspective view of the trolley according to the fourth embodiment. [Figure 12] This figure shows the roll-setting procedure according to the fourth embodiment. [Figure 13] This diagram shows the paper tube fixing part supporting the roll. [Figure 14] This is a perspective view showing the support portion of the trolley according to the fifth embodiment. [Figure 15] This is a perspective view showing the support portion of the trolley according to the sixth embodiment. [Figure 16] These are perspective views, side views, and top views of the trolley according to the seventh embodiment. [Figure 17] These are side and top views showing the storage configuration of the number of units according to the seventh embodiment. [Figure 18] This is a perspective view of the trolley according to the eighth embodiment. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0009] Hereinafter, embodiments for implementing the present invention will be exemplarily and detailedly described based on examples with reference to the drawings. Note that the dimensions, materials, shapes, and relative arrangements of the components described in this embodiment should be appropriately changed according to the configuration of the device to which the invention is applied and various conditions. That is, the scope of the present invention is not intended to be limited to the following embodiments.

[0010] (First Embodiment) <Recording Device> First, the basic configuration of the recording device 100 constituting the roll mounting mechanism according to the first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3. As an example of the recording device, an inkjet recording device including a sheet feeding device for feeding a sheet as a print medium and a printing unit for printing an image on the sheet will be described. In this specification, "ink" is used as a general term for liquids such as recording liquids. Also, when there are a plurality of identical or corresponding members in the same drawing of various devices described below, they may be indicated by adding subscripts such as a, b, etc. in the drawing, but when there is no need to distinguish them in the description, the subscripts such as a, b may be omitted in the description.

[0011] FIG. 1 is a front view of the recording device 100. The recording device 100 includes a roll set portion 200a on the sheet feeding side and a roll set portion 200b on the winding side that can support a roll in which a sheet is wound in a roll shape. The recording device 100 can print an image on a sheet fed from a roll supported by the roll set portion 200a and wind up the sheet printed by the roll set portion 200b. The user can input various commands to the recording device 100, such as specifying the size of the roll and setting the type of the roll, by using various switches provided on the operation panel. As shown in FIG. 1, in the following description, the width direction of the roll supported by the recording device 100 is defined as the X-axis direction, the intersecting direction intersecting the width direction is defined as the Y-axis direction, and the gravitational direction is defined as the Z-axis direction, respectively. In this embodiment, the X-axis direction, the Y-axis direction, and the Z-axis direction are orthogonal to each other.

[0012] Figure 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the recording device 100 showing the transport path of the sheet S. The sheet S, pulled out from the roll R set (mounted) in the roll set section 200a, is connected to the roll set section 200b and wound up. Each roll set section 200 includes a roll holder 2 and a holder guide 3 as a guide section. The roll set sections 200, roll holder 2, and holder guide 3, which are provided on the paper feeding side and the winding side respectively, will be described separately as needed, with the paper feeding side component having the letter 'a' at the end of its reference numeral and the winding side component having the letter 'b' at the end of its reference numeral.

[0013] The sheet S, pulled from the roll R set in the roll set section 200a, is transported by the upstream sheet transport section 300 to the print section 400, which is capable of printing images. In the print section 400, an image is printed onto the sheet S by ejecting ink from an inkjet print head 8.

[0014] The print head 8 ejects ink from the ejection port using an ejection energy generating element such as an electrothermal conversion element (heater) or a piezoelectric element. When an electrothermal conversion element is used, the heat generated causes the ink to foam, and the foaming energy is used to eject the ink from the ejection port. In the application of the present invention, the print head 8 is not limited to an inkjet method. Furthermore, the printing method of the printing unit 400 is not limited and may be, for example, a serial scan method or a full line method. In the case of a serial scan method, an image is printed with the transport operation of the sheet S and the scanning of the print head 8 in a direction intersecting the transport direction of the sheet S. In the case of a full line method, a long print head 8 extending in a direction intersecting the transport direction of the sheet S is used, and an image is printed while the sheet S is transported continuously.

[0015] The roll R is held at its center by the roll holder 2 and rotates in the directions of arrows C1 and C2 by a roll drive motor (not shown). By enabling bidirectional drive in both forward and reverse directions, it is possible to selectively print on the front or back surface of the sheet S, as shown by the solid and dotted lines in Figure 2, which connect the paper-feed side roll set section 200a to the upstream sheet transport section 300. Similarly, as shown by the solid and dotted lines in Figure 2, which connect the downstream sheet transport section 500 to the winding side roll set section 200b, it is possible to selectively wind the printed side of the sheet S outwards or inwards.

[0016] The upstream transport guide 4 of the upstream sheet transport section 300 guides the front or back surface of the sheet S drawn from the roll set section 200a and leads the sheet S to the print section 400. The transport roller 5 is rotated in both forward and reverse directions by a motor for driving the transport roller. The nip roller 6 is capable of driven rotation in accordance with the rotation of the transport roller 5. The transport speed of the sheet S by the transport roller 5 is set higher than the pulling speed of the sheet S by the rotation of the roll R, thereby applying back tension to the sheet S and allowing the sheet S to be transported while under tension. As a result, sagging of the sheet S is prevented, and the occurrence of creases in the sheet S and transport errors can be suppressed.

[0017] The platen 7 of the printing unit 400 is attracted to the side of the sheet S opposite to the recording surface through the suction hole 7a by the negative pressure generated by the suction fan 9. This restricts the position of the sheet S so that it follows the platen 7, enabling high-precision printing of the image by the print head 8.

[0018] The downstream transport guide 10 of the downstream sheet transport section 500 guides the front or back surface of the sheet S drawn out from the print section 400 and leads the sheet S to the roll set section 200b. The leading edge of the sheet S is fixed to the paper tube set in the roll set section 200b and transported by the transport roller 5 By rotating the paper tube set according to the transport speed, the sheet S printed in the printing unit 400 can be continuously wound up.

[0019] The recording device 100 is equipped with stands 14 at both ends in the width direction. The stands 14 support the weight of the upstream sheet transport section 300, the printing section 400, and the downstream sheet transport section 500 at the top of the main body, and also support the weight of the roll R via the roll set section 200. The stands 14 are in contact with the floor, allowing the weight of the recording device 100 to be transferred to the floor.

[0020] Figure 3 is a perspective view of the roll set section 200 of the recording device 100 according to the first embodiment. An axial-shaped paper tube fixing section 11, provided on the roll holder 2, is inserted into the hollow hole of the paper tube of the roll R. The paper tube fixing section 11 is driven in forward and reverse directions by a roll drive motor (not shown). The roll holder 2 provided on the roll set section 200 consists of a pair of reference roll holders 21 and non-reference roll holders 22 that serve as roll support sections. The paper tube fixing section 11 is rotatably attached to each of the reference roll holder 21 and the non-reference roll holder 22. The non-reference roll holder 22 is held in the holder guide 3 so as to be slidable in the width direction (X direction) of the roll R. The non-reference roll holder 22 is also provided with a locking mechanism 12, and by turning the knob on the locking mechanism 12 in the T direction, the non-reference roll holder 22 can be fixed in any position in the width direction relative to the holder guide 3. The reference roll holder 21 is also held in the holder guide 3, but a sliding mechanism is not required. The paper tube fixing section 11 is equipped with a friction member, and when the roll R is set, the roll R and the paper tube fixing section 11 rotate together as a single unit.

[0021] By using a sliding mechanism consisting of the roll holder 2 and the holder guide 3 to hold the roll R, the roll R is firmly supported by the roll set section 200 regardless of the roll width. In other words, the recording device 100 is configured to be able to set a roll R of any width that is less than or equal to the widthwise length of the holder guide 3. Furthermore, if the reference roll holder 21 is fixed to the holder guide 3 and does not slide, the end of the roll R is fitted into the fixed reference roll holder 21, so the position of the reference end of the roll R is fixed to the roll set section 200.

[0022] In this embodiment, the holder guide 3 is fixed to the stand 14. The paper feed side roll holder 2a is configured to be positioned on the front side of the recording device (positive Y direction) relative to the holder guide 3a. In other words, the holder guide 3a is positioned on the rear side of the main body (negative Y direction) relative to the paper core fixing part 11. With this configuration, there are no structures such as the holder guide 3 on the front side of the main body or on the underside of the main body relative to the paper core fixing part 11 for the paper feed side roll holder 2a, so it does not get in the way when attaching or detaching the roll R. Therefore, in the recording device 100, it is possible to place the roll R on a trolley, move the trolley from the P direction shown in Figure 3, and set the roll R. The recording device 100 further includes a stopper surface 15 that is located below the holder guide 3 and extends between the stands 14 as a positioning part that determines the position of the trolley in the intersecting direction (Y direction). In addition, the winding side roll holder 2b is configured to be positioned on the rear side of the recording device (negative Y direction) relative to the holder guide 3b, which improves the workability of attaching and detaching the roll R. Details on the positioning method for the trolleys in the intersecting direction will be described later.

[0023] <Cart> Next, a trolley 50 according to the first embodiment, which supports and transports the roll R when attaching the roll R to the roll holder 2, will be described with reference to Figure 4. Figure 4 is a perspective view of the trolley 50 according to the first embodiment. The trolley 50 includes a support portion 51 for supporting the roll R, a wheel portion 52, a height adjustment portion 53 for adjusting the height of the support portion 51, a trolley base portion 55 that supports the support portion 51 via the height adjustment portion 53, and a butt portion that protrudes from the trolley base portion 55 in a cross direction. It is equipped with 54.

[0024] The support portion 51, acting as a roll support, is capable of supporting the roll R from below in a state where the width direction of the roll R is horizontal, that is, in the same position as when the roll R is attached to the roll holder 2. The support portion 51 has two inclined surfaces, support portion inclined surfaces 51a and 51b, which contact the roll R from below. When the support portion 51 is viewed from the width direction, the two support portion inclined surfaces 51a and 51b form a V shape. When the roll R is placed on the support portion 51, the roll R is in contact with both support portion inclined surfaces 51a and 51b, and the support portion inclined surfaces 51a and 51b are positioned symmetrically with respect to the center of the roll R. In other words, even if the winding diameter of the roll R is different, the position of the center of the circumference of the roll R in the intersecting direction (Y direction) with respect to the trolley 50 is always the same.

[0025] The trolley 50 is able to move freely on the floor by the wheel section 52 provided below the trolley base 55. The height adjustment section 53 provided below the receiving section 51 is configured to extend and retract in the vertical direction (Z direction) and raises and lowers the receiving section 51. The abutment section 54 contacts the abutment surface 15 between the stands 14 when the trolley 50 with the roll R on it is inserted into the recording device 100, determining the position of the trolley 50 in the direction of crossing the stands 14.

[0026] <How to install the roll> Next, the method for attaching the roll R to the roll holder 2 using the trolley 50 will be described in detail with reference to Figures 5 and 6. The roll mounting mechanism according to the present invention consists of a recording device and a trolley. In the following description, the process of attaching and detaching the roll R to the paper-feeding side roll holder 2a will be explained as an example, but it is possible to attach and detach the roll R to the winding side roll holder 2b using the same method.

[0027] Figures 5(a), (b), (c), and (d) are front views showing the procedure for setting the roll R in the roll setting section 200 using the trolley 50 in the first embodiment. Figure 5(a) shows the vertical positioning of the roll R after moving the trolley 50 between opposing paper tube fixing sections 11. Figure 5(b) shows the movement of the trolley 50 with the roll R on it toward the reference roll holder 21. Figure 5(c) shows the movement of the non-reference roll holder 22 toward the roll R with one end of the roll R in the width direction in contact with the paper tube fixing section 11. Figure 5(d) shows the state after the non-reference roll holder 22 has been fixed by the locking mechanism 12 and the support of the roll R has been completed. Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view AA in Figure 5(a), which is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the positional relationship between the recording device 100 and the trolley 50.

[0028] When setting the roll R, which is placed on the receiving portion 51 of the trolley 50, into the roll setting portion 200, the trolley 50 is first moved so that the roll R is positioned in the area sandwiched between the two roll holders 2. Then, as shown in Figure 6, the position of the trolley 50 in the intersecting direction (Y direction) relative to the roll setting portion 200 is determined by bringing the abutment portion 54 of the trolley 50 into contact with the abutment surface 15, which is the positioning portion. In other words, the abutment portion 54, which is the part to be positioned, comes into contact with the abutment surface 15, which is the positioning part, thereby positioning the abutment portion 54 in the intersecting direction relative to the abutment surface 15. Furthermore, since the movement of the abutment portion 54 in the width direction (X direction) relative to the abutment surface 15 is not restricted, the wheel portion 52 functions as a roll position adjustment mechanism, allowing the trolley 50 to be moved in the width direction while supporting the roll R and maintaining the position in the intersecting direction. Therefore, the position of the roll R in the width direction can be adjusted while maintaining the position of the roll R in the intersecting direction relative to the recording device 100.

[0029] The abutment surface 15 is provided on both the paper feeding side and the paper winding side relative to the stand 14, and extends in the region between the two stands 14 in the width direction. Therefore, if the trolley 50 is positioned between the two stands 14, the abutment portion 54 can be brought into contact with the abutment surface 15 regardless of its position in the width direction. When the abutment portion 54 comes into contact with the abutment surface 15, In the differential direction, the distance from the contact surface of the abutment portion 54 to the center of the roll R and the distance from the abutment surface 15 to the center of the paper tube fixing portion 11 are configured to be the same length. In other words, when the abutment portion 54 and the abutment surface 15 are in contact, the intersecting positions of the center of the roll R and the center of the paper tube fixing portion 11 coincide. Furthermore, since the receiving portion 51 is configured so that the intersecting position of the center of the roll R with respect to the trolley 50 is always the same regardless of the winding diameter of the roll R, the intersecting position of the roll R with respect to the paper tube fixing portion 11 can be determined without being affected by the winding diameter.

[0030] After the position of the roll R in the intersecting direction is determined by the positioning unit and the positioned unit, the vertical positioning is performed by matching the height of the center of the roll R with the height of the paper tube fixing unit 11 of the recording device 100, as shown in Figure 5(a). The trolley 50 is provided with a height adjustment unit 53, which is used to adjust the height (Z-direction position) of the roll R. Next, as shown in Figure 5(b), the trolley 50 is moved in the width direction to insert one end of the paper tube of the roll R into the paper tube fixing unit 11 of the reference roll holder 21. With these operations, the center of the roll R coincides with the center of the paper tube fixing unit 11 in both the intersecting and vertical directions, so the paper tube can be easily inserted into the paper tube fixing unit 11. When one end of the paper tube of the roll R comes into contact with the paper tube fixing unit 11, the friction member of the paper tube fixing unit 11 is fitted into the paper tube of the roll R. This fixes the roll R to the paper tube fixing unit 11 of the reference roll holder 21. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 5(c), the non-standard roll holder 22 is slid in the width direction to bring it closer to the roll R, and the other end of the paper core of the roll R is inserted into the paper core fixing part 11 of the non-standard roll holder 22. In this way, the roll R is fixed to the paper core fixing part 11 of the non-standard roll holder 22, just like with the standard roll holder 21, and the width direction position of the roll R is determined. Finally, as shown in Figure 5(d), the non-standard roll holder 22 is fixed to the holder guide 3 using the locking mechanism 12. This prevents the non-standard roll holder 22 from sliding in the paper width direction and causing the roll R to come off the roll holder 2. Next, the height adjustment part 53 of the trolley 50 lowers the receiving part 51 downwards, retracting it from the roll R, and the setting of the roll R to the recording device 100 is completed.

[0031] The procedure for setting the roll R into the roll setting section 200 using a trolley has been described above. By performing this setting procedure in reverse order, the roll R can be removed from the roll setting section 200. By using a trolley to remove the roll R, the removal of the roll from the recording device and the transportation of the roll R can be performed without lowering the roll R from the trolley.

[0032] As described above, the roll mounting mechanism according to this embodiment allows the roll to be transported, attached to the recording device, or removed from the recording device and transported without ever being lowered from the trolley. When attaching or detaching the roll, the weight of the roll is always supported by the trolley, so the roll can be easily attached and detached without having to manually support its weight. Furthermore, the sliding mechanism of the roll holder and the trolley, which can move freely in the width direction even when positioned in the intersecting direction, make it possible to accommodate a wide range of roll widths. In addition, during the roll attachment and detachment work, the trolley can be moved in the width direction while remaining positioned in the intersecting direction. Therefore, when placing the roll on the trolley, there is a high degree of freedom in the width direction position of the roll relative to the trolley, and there is no need to manually position the heavy roll, resulting in good workability for attaching and detaching the roll.

[0033] (Second embodiment) Next, a second embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 7 and 8. In the second embodiment, the method for determining the crossing position of the trolley with respect to the recording device differs from that of the first embodiment. In the following description, we will focus on the differences from the first embodiment, and other identical components will be denoted by the same reference numerals and their descriptions will be omitted.

[0034] Figure 7 is a perspective view of the trolley 250 in the second embodiment. Figure 8 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the trolley 250 and the recording device 600 in the same positional relationship as in Figure 6. The trolley 50 is equipped with a connecting lever 56 and a pivot shaft 59 as a lever mechanism, and a connecting part 57 is positioned at the tip of the connecting lever 56. The connecting lever 56 is pivotable around the pivot shaft 59. In addition, a connecting rail 16 extending in the width direction (X direction) is provided between the two stands 14. The recording device 600 and the trolley 250 are connected when the connecting part 57 fits into the connecting rail 16, and the position of the trolley 250 in the intersecting direction (Y direction) relative to the recording device 600 is determined. The connecting lever 56 can change between a first position in which it is engaged with the connecting rail 16 and a second position in which it is disengaged from the connecting rail 16 by pivoting around the pivot shaft 59. Furthermore, in this embodiment, when the connecting portion 57 is positioned in the intersecting direction by the connecting rail 16, the movement of the trolley 250 away from the recording device 600 is also restricted.

[0035] The connecting rail 16 extends in the width direction into the region between the two stands 14. Therefore, if the trolley 250 is positioned between the two stands 14, the trolley 250 can be connected to the recording device 600 regardless of its position in the width direction. Here, in the intersecting direction, the distance from the connecting part 57 to the center of the roll R and the distance from the connecting rail 16 to the center of the paper tube fixing part 11 are configured to be the same length. In other words, when the connecting part 57 and the connecting rail 16 are connected, the intersecting positions of the center of the roll R and the center of the paper tube fixing part 11 coincide. In this embodiment, the connecting rail 16 functions as a positioning part, and the connecting part 57 functions as the part to be positioned.

[0036] In the second embodiment, the procedure for setting the roll R in the roll set section 200 using the trolley 250 and the procedure for removing the roll R from the roll set section 200 are the same as those shown in Figures 5(a), (b), (c), and (d) in the description of the first embodiment.

[0037] When setting the roll R, which is placed on the receiving portion 51 of the trolley 50, into the roll setting portion 200, the trolley 50 is first moved so that the roll R is positioned in the area sandwiched between the two roll holders 2. By moving the trolley 250 in the intersecting direction to approach the recording device 600, the coupling lever 56 swings around the pivot axis 59, the coupling portion 57 fits into the coupling rail 16, and the intersecting position of the trolley 250 relative to the recording device 600 is determined. In this way, in the second embodiment, by connecting the coupling portion 57 to the coupling rail 16, the trolley 250 can be moved freely in the width direction while keeping the intersecting position of the trolley 250 relative to the recording device 600 fixed. In other words, the trolley 250 can be moved in the width direction while maintaining the state in which the intersecting positions of the center of the roll R and the center of the paper tube fixing portion 11 coincide.

[0038] As described above, according to this embodiment, with the roll positioned in the direction intersecting the recording device, the widthwise position of the roll can be easily adjusted by the position adjustment mechanism, and the roll can be attached to a roll holder that is slidable in the widthwise direction. Therefore, a wide range of roll widths can be accommodated during the installation and removal of rolls, and work efficiency is improved.

[0039] (Third embodiment) Next, a third embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 9 and 10. In the third embodiment, the method of inserting the paper core of the roll into the paper core fixing part when setting the roll in the recording device differs from that of the first embodiment. In the following description, we will focus on the differences from the first embodiment, and the recording device 100 and other identical components will be denoted by the same reference numerals and their descriptions will be omitted.

[0040] Figure 9 is a perspective view of the trolley 350 in the third embodiment. As shown in Figure 9, the trolley 350 in this embodiment is equipped with a slider 60 at the lower part of the receiving portion 51. The slider 60, which acts as a position adjustment mechanism for the roll R, allows the receiving portion 51 to move in a width relative to the wheel portion 52 and the trolley base 55. It can slide in the X direction.

[0041] Figures 10(a), (b), (c), and (d) are front views showing the procedure for setting the roll R in the roll setting section 200 using the trolley 350 in the third embodiment. Figure 10(a) shows the trolley 350 being moved between opposing paper tube fixing sections 11 to position the roll R in the vertical direction (Z direction). Figure 10(b) shows the receiving section 51 being moved towards the reference roll holder 21 by the slider 60 along with the vertically positioned roll R. Figure 10(c) shows the non-reference roll holder 22 being moved towards the roll R with one end of the roll R in the width direction in contact with the paper tube fixing section 11. Figure 10(d) shows the non-reference roll holder 22 being fixed by the locking mechanism 12, completing the support of the roll R.

[0042] Similar to the first embodiment, the abutment portion 54 is brought into contact with the abutment surface 15 to determine the intersecting (Y-direction) position of the trolley 350 relative to the recording device 100. Then, as shown in Figure 10(a), the height of the center of the roll R is aligned with the height of the paper tube fixing portion 11 of the recording device 100, completing the vertical positioning. Next, as shown in Figure 10(b), the receiving portion 51 on which the roll R rests is moved in the width direction by the slider 60 of the trolley 350, thereby inserting one end of the paper tube of the roll R into the paper tube fixing portion 11 of the reference roll holder 21. With these operations, the center of the roll R coincides with the center of the paper tube fixing portion 11 in both the intersecting and vertical directions, making it easy to insert the paper tube into the paper tube fixing portion 11. The subsequent method of inserting the other end of the paper core of the roll R into the paper core fixing part 11 of the non-standard roll holder 22 to complete the setting of the roll R is the same as in the first embodiment, as shown in Figures 10(c) and (d).

[0043] As described above, according to this embodiment, since only the receiving portion 51 can be moved by the slider 60 without moving the entire trolley 350 in the width direction, the roll R can be moved in the width direction with less force compared to the first embodiment. In other words, since the position in the width direction of the roll can be adjusted more easily by the position adjustment mechanism while the roll is positioned in the direction perpendicular to the recording device, the workability of attaching and detaching the roll is further improved.

[0044] (Fourth embodiment) Next, a fourth embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 11 and 12. In the fourth embodiment, the method of inserting the paper core of the roll into the paper core fixing part when setting the roll in the recording device differs from that of the first and third embodiments. In the following description, we will focus on the differences from the first embodiment, and the recording device 100 and other identical components will be denoted by the same reference numerals and their descriptions will be omitted.

[0045] Figure 11 is a perspective view of the trolley 450 in the fourth embodiment. As shown in Figure 11, the trolley 450 in this embodiment is equipped with receiving rollers 61 at the longitudinal (X-direction) ends of the receiving slopes 51a and 51b of the receiving portion 451. The receiving rollers 61, which act as a roll position adjustment mechanism, are rotatable with the roll R resting on them. By rotating while the receiving rollers 61 are in contact with the roll R, the roll R can be moved in the width direction with a small force. The receiving rollers 61 extend from near the upper end to near the lower end of the receiving slopes 51a and 51b so that they can contact the roll R in accordance with the winding diameter of various roll Rs.

[0046] Figures 12(a), (b), (c), and (d) are front views showing the procedure for setting the roll R in the roll setting section 200 using the trolley 450 in the fourth embodiment. Figure 12(a) shows the trolley 450 being moved between opposing paper tube fixing sections 11 to position the roll R in the vertical direction (Z direction). Figure 12(b) shows the roll R on the receiving section roller 61, which has been positioned in the vertical direction, being moved toward the reference roll holder 21. Figure 12(c) shows the non-reference roll holder 2 with one end of the roll R in the width direction in contact with the paper tube fixing section 11. Figure 12(d) shows how part 2 is moved to the roll R side. Figure 12(d) shows how the non-reference roll holder 22 is fixed by the locking mechanism 12 and how the support of roll R is completed.

[0047] The position of the trolley 450 in the intersecting direction (Y direction) relative to the recording device 100 is determined by bringing the abutment portion 54 into contact with the abutment surface 15, as in the first embodiment. Then, as shown in Figure 12(a), the height of the center of the roll R is aligned with the height of the paper tube fixing portion 11 of the recording device 100, completing the vertical positioning. Next, as shown in Figure 12(b), the roll R is moved in the width direction, and one end of the paper tube of the roll R is inserted into the paper tube fixing portion 11 of the reference roll holder 21. The method of then inserting the other end of the paper tube of the roll R into the paper tube fixing portion 11 of the non-reference roll holder 22 to complete the setting of the roll R is the same as in the first embodiment, as shown in Figures 12(c) and (d).

[0048] As described above, according to this embodiment, the roll R can be moved in the width direction by the receiving roller 61 without moving the entire trolley 450 in the width direction, so the roll R can be moved in the width direction with less force compared to the first embodiment. In other words, since the position in the width direction of the roll can be adjusted more easily by the position adjustment mechanism while the roll is positioned in the direction intersecting the recording device, the workability of attaching and detaching the roll is further improved.

[0049] (Fifth embodiment) Next, a fifth embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 13 and 14. The fifth embodiment is a configuration that is effective when setting a roll with a width narrower than the longitudinal width of the support portion of the trolley. In the following description, we will focus on the differences from the first embodiment, and the recording device 100 and other identical components will be denoted by the same reference numerals and their descriptions will be omitted.

[0050] Figure 13 shows how the paper tube fixing part 11 supports rolls R of different paper tube diameters. Figure 13(a) shows the support of roll RA, which has a paper tube 81A with an inner diameter DA, and Figure 13(b) shows the support of roll RB, which has a paper tube 81B with an inner diameter DB that is larger than inner diameter DA. The size of the roll R handled by the recording device 100 of the present invention is assumed to be a maximum of approximately 200 mm in diameter, 1630 mm in width, and 50 kg in weight, with paper tube sizes of 2 inches and 3 inches. In order to accommodate different paper tube sizes, the paper tube fixing part 11 of this embodiment has regions on the outer diameter portion of the paper tube fixing part 11 that are inserted into and fixed to the paper tube of the roll R to support the roll R, which are then fitted into the paper tube and have regions that engage with the inner diameters of 2-inch and 3-inch paper tubes, respectively. When supporting a roll R with a paper tube size of 2 inches, the paper tube fixing part 11 supports the roll R in the state shown in Figure 13(a), and when supporting a roll R with a paper tube size of 3 inches, the paper tube fixing part 11 supports the roll R in the state shown in Figure 13(b).

[0051] In order to stably support the roll R with the support portion 51 of the trolley 50, the support portion 51 should be as long as possible so that it supports the roll R all the way to its end in the width direction, increasing the contact area with the roll R. However, if the roll width is narrower than the support portion 51, when attempting to attach a roll with a paper core size of 2 inches and a small winding diameter, the part of the paper core fixing portion 11 that supports a 3-inch roll R may interfere with the support portion 51. In particular, when attaching a roll R whose winding diameter has decreased due to the use of sheet material near the core, the paper core fixing portion 11 is more likely to interfere with the support portion 51. In that case, the roll R cannot be properly set in the paper core fixing portion 11, so it is not desirable to make the support portion 51 longer than the roll width. In this embodiment, since the roll width mainly used in the market is 600 mm or more, the longitudinal length of the support portion 51 is set to 600 mm.

[0052] However, there are also extremely small rolls on the market with a roll width of less than 600 mm. For example, in the trolley 50 shown in the first embodiment, when attaching an extremely small roll with a roll width of 200 mm and a paper core size of 2 inches to the receiving part 51 which has a longitudinal length of 600 mm, the paper core fixing part 11 may interfere with the receiving part 51. Therefore, as the fifth embodiment, a trolley that can accommodate extremely small rolls is provided. Let me explain the car's configuration.

[0053] Figure 14 shows the support portion 551 of the trolley according to the fifth embodiment. The length L1 in the width direction (X direction), which is the longitudinal direction of the support portion 551, is 600 mm, and the length L2 in the cross direction (Y direction), which is perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, is 200 mm. The support portion 551 has support portion inclined surfaces 51a, 51b extending in the width direction and support portion inclined surfaces 62a, 62b, 63a, 63b extending in the cross direction. Due to these support portion inclined surfaces, the support portion 551 includes a portion that appears V-shaped when viewed from the width direction and a portion that appears V-shaped when viewed from the cross direction.

[0054] With the above configuration, when the roll width is 600 mm or more, the roll R can be installed on the receiving part 551 so that the width direction of the roll R coincides with the width direction of the receiving part 551, and the roll R can be supported by the receiving part slopes 51a and 51b. On the other hand, when the roll width is 200 mm or more and less than 600 mm, the roll R can be installed on the receiving part 551 so that the width direction of the roll R coincides with the intersecting direction of the receiving part 551, and the roll R can be supported by the receiving part slopes 62a and 62b or the receiving part slopes 63a and 63b. In other words, when the roll width is 200 mm or more and less than 600 mm, the orientation of the trolley relative to the roll R and the recording device 100 at the time of roll setting is rotated by 90° compared to when the roll width is 600 mm or more. In this way, by changing the orientation of the roll R relative to the trolley depending on the roll width and installing the roll R on the trolley, the trolley can support the roll R even when the receiving part of the trolley is shorter than the width of the roll. Therefore, even when a very small roll is attached to the recording device 100, the receiving portion 551 does not interfere with the paper tube fixing portion 11, and the roll R can be firmly supported.

[0055] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the trolley has positioning parts for the recording device 100, such as abutment parts, provided at the ends in the width direction (longitudinal direction) and at both ends in the intersecting direction (short direction). By providing positioning parts at both ends in the width direction and the intersecting direction of the trolley, the trolley can be positioned in the intersecting direction relative to the recording device 100 even when the direction in which the roll R is installed on the trolley is changed as described above.

[0056] As described above, according to this embodiment, a roll with a smaller roll width can be set in the recording device while being supported by a trolley, compared to the first embodiment. Therefore, the range of compatible roll widths can be further expanded.

[0057] (Sixth embodiment) Next, a sixth embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 15(a) and (b). The sixth embodiment is a configuration that is effective when setting a roll with a width narrower than the longitudinal width of the support portion of the trolley, and is a different configuration from the fifth embodiment. In the following description, we will focus on the differences from the fifth embodiment, and the recording device 100 and other identical components will be denoted by the same reference numerals and their descriptions will be omitted.

[0058] Figure 15(a) shows the support portion 651 of the trolley according to the sixth embodiment. The support portion 651 has two divided support portions 64 and 65, which are divided in the width direction (X direction). The widthwise length L3 of the support portion 651 is 600 mm, and the widthwise length L4 of the divided support portion 64 is 200 mm. The divided support portions 64 and 65 each have support portion inclined surfaces 51a and 51b that extend in the width direction. When the roll width is 600 mm or more, the roll R can be supported in two or more places by placing the roll R across the divided support portions 64 and 65, thus providing strong support.

[0059] Figure 15(b) shows the divided support portion 64 of the trolley according to the sixth embodiment rotated. The divided support portion 64 can rotate 90° from the state shown in Figure 15(a) around a rotation axis (not shown) extending in the vertical direction. When the divided support portion 64 rotates 90°, the support portion slopes 51a and 51b of the divided support portion 64, which were extending in the width direction, extend in the intersecting direction (Y direction). If the roll width is 200 mm or more and less than 600 mm, the width of the dividing receiving section 64 becomes less than or equal to the roll width by rotating the dividing receiving section 64 shown in Figure 15(b) and installing the roll R on the dividing receiving section 64. Therefore, with the trolley according to this embodiment, the roll R can be set in the recording device without the paper tube fixing section 11 interfering with the dividing receiving section 64. Furthermore, since the orientation of the trolley relative to the recording device 100 can be changed to set the roll R in the recording device 100, interference between the trolley and the recording device can also be prevented.

[0060] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the trolley has positioning parts for the recording device 100, such as abutment parts, provided at the ends in the width direction (longitudinal direction) and the ends in the intersecting direction (short direction). By providing positioning parts at both the width direction and the intersecting direction ends of the trolley, the trolley can be positioned in the intersecting direction relative to the recording device 100 even when the direction in which the roll R is installed on the trolley is changed as described above.

[0061] As described above, according to this embodiment, a roll with a smaller roll width can be set in the recording device while being supported by a trolley, compared to the first embodiment. Therefore, the range of compatible roll widths can be further expanded.

[0062] In this embodiment, the divided receiving portion 64 is configured to be rotatable, but the divided receiving portion 65 may also be configured to be similarly rotatable. Furthermore, by making the longitudinal lengths of the divided receiving portions 64 and 65 different, the respective divided receiving portions may be used according to the roll width. In that case, it is preferable that the positions to be positioned relative to the recording device are provided at both ends in the width direction of the trolley.

[0063] (Seventh Embodiment) Next, a seventh embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 16 and 17. The trolley 750 according to the seventh embodiment has a configuration that reduces the storage space when not in use compared to the first embodiment. In the following description, we will focus on the differences from the first embodiment, and the recording device 100 and other identical components will be denoted by the same reference numerals and their descriptions will be omitted.

[0064] After the roll R is set in the roll setting section 200 using the trolley, the operator needs to manually operate the roll R to enable sheet feeding from the roll R. When operating the roll R, if the trolley is engaged with the recording device, the support parts and handles (not shown) of the trolley located around the roll R become obstacles and hinder the operation. Therefore, after the roll R is set in the roll setting section 200, it is preferable to detach the trolley from the recording device 100 and move it to a separate location.

[0065] Furthermore, in recording devices where roll holders are provided in both the paper feeding section and the winding section, it is desirable to have multiple trolleys available so that multiple workers can simultaneously transport the paper feeding rolls R and the output rolls wound up after printing. Similarly, when attaching or detaching rolls to multiple recording devices simultaneously, having multiple trolleys available allows for more efficient operation. In light of the above, the seventh embodiment of a trolley will be described below, which allows for storage of multiple trolleys in a single location while reducing the space they occupy.

[0066] Figure 16(a) is a perspective view of the trolley 750 according to the seventh embodiment. Compared to the trolley 50 according to the first embodiment, the trolley 750 can be stored with a reduced contact area when not in use. The receiving portion 51 of the trolley 750 has the same configuration as in the first embodiment and is equipped with receiving portion inclined surfaces 51a and 51b that contact the roll R. On the other hand, the shape of the trolley base 755 that supports the height adjustment portion 53 from below differs from that of the trolley 50 according to the first embodiment. The trolley base 755 has one end in the intersecting direction (Y direction) and the center in the width direction (X direction) It is provided with a notch 755a. Furthermore, the bogie base 755 is provided with notches 755b at the other end opposite to the notch 755a in the intersecting direction, and at both ends in the width direction. Furthermore, the lower surface of the bogie base 755 is provided with a front wheel section 52a, a rear wheel section 52b, and a protrusion 68. The bogie 750 can move freely on the floor by the front wheel section 52a and the rear wheel section 52b. The protrusion 68 protrudes downward (positive Z direction) from the bogie base 755 and extends in the width direction (Y direction). In addition, the tip of the protrusion 68 has a tapered shape consisting of two slopes.

[0067] Figure 16(b) shows the bogie 750 viewed from the width direction (negative X direction). The amount of protrusion of the convex portion 68 is such that the tip of the convex portion 68 does not extend beyond the contact point of the wheel portion, and the convex portion 68 does not obstruct the movement of the bogie 750. In addition, the convex portion 68 is located directly below the receiving portion 51. The reason for this positional relationship will be explained later.

[0068] The width of the receiving section 51 in the intersecting direction is set to be approximately the same as the winding diameter of the roll R when there is little sheet remaining, so that it is easy to load and unload the roll R even when the winding diameter of the roll R is small. On the other hand, when the trolley 750 is viewed from the width direction, the front wheel section 52a and the rear wheel section 52b are located outside the receiving section 51. In this embodiment, the spacing of the wheel sections 52 in the intersecting direction is approximately the same as the winding diameter of the roll R when there is a lot of roll R remaining, and the wheel sections 52 are positioned so that they protrude on both sides in the intersecting direction relative to the receiving section 51. With this arrangement, even roll R with a lot of sheet remaining and a large winding diameter can be transported stably on the trolley 750.

[0069] Figure 16(c) shows the trolley 750 viewed from above (negative Z direction). The widthwise length of the support portion 51 is determined considering the smallest roll width among the rolls R intended to be supported, in order to accommodate various roll widths. By making the widthwise length of the support portion 51 smaller than the smallest roll width, the operability of attaching and detaching the rolls R is not impaired by the support portion 51. On the other hand, when the trolley 750 is viewed from the vertical direction (Z direction), the front wheel portion 52a and the rear wheel portion 52b are located outside the support portion 51 in the widthwise direction. In this embodiment, the distance in the widthwise direction between the front wheel portion 52a and the rear wheel portion 52b is approximately the same as the largest roll width among the rolls intended to be supported, and the wheel portions 52 are positioned so that they protrude on both sides in the widthwise direction relative to the support portion 51. With this arrangement, even rolls R with a large width can be stably transported on the trolley 750.

[0070] As mentioned above, the bogie base 755 has a notch 755a on one end in the intersecting direction and a notch 755b on the other end. The notch 755a is located in the center of the width direction of the bogie base 755, and protrusions 755c are formed at both ends of the bogie base 755 in the width direction, protruding towards one end in the intersecting direction. The notches 755b are located at both ends of the bogie base 755 in the width direction, and protrusions 755d are formed in the center of the bogie base 755 in the width direction, protruding towards the other end in the intersecting direction. The width direction length X1 of the notch 755a at one end is greater than the width direction length X2 of the protrusion 755d at the other end, satisfying the relationship X1 > X2. Furthermore, when viewed from the intersecting direction, the notch 755a and the protrusion 755d overlap, and the notch 755b and the protrusion 755c overlap. The protrusions 755c and 755d may also function as positioning parts that contact the positioning part of the recording device 100.

[0071] The front wheel section 52a is provided on a projection 755c at one end of the bogie base 755 in the intersecting direction, and the rear wheel section 52b is provided on a projection 755d at the other end of the bogie base 755 in the intersecting direction. In other words, the front wheel section 52a and the rear wheel section 52b are provided at offset positions in the intersecting direction.

[0072] Next, we will explain the effect of reducing storage space when storing multiple trolleys 750. (Figure) Figure 17(a) shows multiple trolleys 750 stacked vertically, viewed from the width direction (negative X direction). When storing the trolleys 750, as shown in Figure 17(a), the second trolley 750B can be stacked on top of the first trolley 750A. At this time, the tapered surface of the receiving portion 51 provided on the upper part of the first trolley 750A engages with the tapered surface of the protrusion 68 provided on the lower part of the second trolley 750B. With this configuration, the second trolley 750B can be stably supported by the first trolley 750A. Furthermore, it is also possible to stack another trolley on top of the second trolley 750B. By providing a configuration that allows trolleys to be stably stacked vertically in this way, the contact area of ​​two or more trolleys is reduced to that of one trolley, thus reducing the space occupied when the trolleys are not in use.

[0073] Figure 17(b) shows a view from above (negative Z direction) of multiple trolleys 750 arranged in a cross direction (Y direction) and stored side by side. As previously mentioned, the trolley base 755 has a notch 755a and a projection 755c on one end in the cross direction, and a notch 755b and a projection 755d on the other end. When the first trolley 750A and the second trolley 750B are arranged side by side in the cross direction, the projection 755d of the first trolley 750A can be positioned to fit into the notch 755a of the second trolley 750B. At this time, the projection 755c of the second trolley 750B is positioned to fit into the notch 755b of the first trolley 750A. In this way, when viewed from the width direction, the trolley bases 755 of the first trolley 750A and the second trolley 750B are arranged to overlap, which reduces the storage space by the length Y1 in the intersecting direction of the overlapping portion. Furthermore, since the trolley base 755 of the first trolley 750A fits into the notch 755a of the trolley base 755 of the second trolley 750B, the first trolley 750A and the second trolley 750B can be transported stably and simultaneously while in the fitted state.

[0074] By configuring the trolleys so that the notches and protrusions of multiple trolleys fit together, the storage space required when the trolleys are not in use can be reduced compared to the first embodiment. Therefore, according to this embodiment, it becomes easier to prepare more trolleys, which improves the workability of attaching and detaching the rolls.

[0075] (Eighth embodiment) Next, the eighth embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 18(a) and (b). The eighth embodiment has a configuration that reduces the storage space required when the trolley is not in use, and is different from the seventh embodiment. In the following description, we will focus on the differences from the seventh embodiment, and the recording device 100 and other identical components will be denoted by the same reference numerals and their descriptions will be omitted.

[0076] Figure 18(a) is a perspective view of the trolley 850 according to the eighth embodiment with the telescopic mechanism 69 fully extended. Figure 18(b) is a perspective view of the trolley 850 with the telescopic mechanism 69 retracted. Compared to the trolley 750 according to the seventh embodiment, the trolley 850 allows for storage with an even smaller contact area when not in use. The trolley 850 has a receiving portion 851 and a trolley base portion 855 that are divided in the width direction (X direction). The receiving portion 851 and height adjustment portion 853 are provided on the divided trolley base portion 855, each having protruding portions and notches formed therein. Furthermore, a telescopic mechanism 69 that can be extended and retracted is provided between the divided trolley base portion 855. In other words, the trolley 850 has a configuration in which the length in the width direction is variable by the extension and retraction of the telescopic mechanism 69.

[0077] This configuration allows for a further reduction in the storage space required for the trolley when not in use, compared to the seventh embodiment. Furthermore, since the trolley of this embodiment has a variable width, it is capable of accommodating a wider range of roll widths compared to the first and seventh embodiments. Therefore, according to this embodiment, in addition to reducing the storage space required for the trolley when not in use, the range of compatible roll widths can be further expanded.

[0078] It should be noted that the application of the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above. For example, the configurations of each embodiment may be freely combined, such as providing the receiving portion roller 61 shown in the fourth embodiment to the receiving portion 551 shown in the fifth embodiment. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0079] 1…Sheet, 21…Reference roll holder (roll support part), 3…Holder guide (guide part), 15…Butt surface (positioning part), 50…Cart, 51…Butt part (positioned part), 100…Recording device, R…Roll

Claims

1. The base and, A first receiving portion supported by the base and receiving one side of the roll around which the sheet is wound from below in the width direction, A second receiving portion is supported by the base and receives the other side of the roll in the width direction from below, A trolley for transporting the roll to a recording device, comprising a telescopic mechanism provided on the base that expands and contracts between the first receiving portion and the second receiving portion in the width direction.

2. A first adjustment unit for adjusting the height of the first receiving portion relative to the base, The trolley according to claim 1, further comprising a second adjustment part for adjusting the height of the second receiving part relative to the base.

3. The trolley according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the base portion comprises a first base portion on the side of the first receiving portion and a second base portion on the side of the second receiving portion.

4. The trolley according to claim 3, characterized in that the first base is provided with a first wheel portion and the second base is provided with a second wheel portion.

5. The trolley according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that it is provided with a positioning unit that determines the position of the base in an intersecting direction intersecting the width direction by a positioning unit provided in the recording device.

6. The trolley according to claim 5, characterized in that the positioning portion includes abutment portion that abuts the positioning portion in the direction of the intersection.

7. The trolley according to claim 5, characterized in that the positioning portion is a lever mechanism that can swing and change between a first position in which it engages with the positioning portion and a second position in which it is not engaged with the positioning portion.

8. The trolley according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the base portion has a notch in the center of one side in the intersecting direction that intersects with the width direction, and notches at both ends in the width direction on the other side.

9. The trolley according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the first receiving portion and the second receiving portion include two inclined surfaces that form a V shape when viewed from the width direction.

10. The trolley according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the recording device comprises a roll support portion that supports a roll around which a sheet is wound at the end of the roll in the width direction, and a guide portion that extends in the width direction and supports the roll support portion so as to be movable in the width direction.

Images